Tinted sound and picture film and method of making same



Feb. 14, 1933. H. R./COUCH 1,897,838

TINTED SOUND AND PICTURE FILM AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME Filed April 20.1929 INVENTOR HENRY R. COUCH ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 14, 1933 UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE HENRY R. COUCH, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOB'I'O EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEWYORK TIN TED SOUND AND PICTURE FILM AND METHOD OF MAKING SAMEApplication filed April- 20,

This invention relates to film to be used in the synchronizedreproduction of sound and motion pictures. In order to present certainpleasing effects in connection with I the reproduction of motionpictures it has tinting or coloring to the picture areas only .of thefilm while leaving the sound record portion of the film uncolored. Infollowing this practice it sometimes happens that such film is somewhatwarped due to the fact that the solvents used in applying the tint tendto attack the film support and cause it to shrink. This difficulty makesitself manifest when the film is being dried after development in asmuch as it imparts to it a strong negative curl. Such film frequentlytends to buckle during projection since the shrinkage is much moreprevalent in the tinted area than in the untinted portion.

In accordance with the present invention it is proposed to obviate thisdifiiculty by treating the tinted portion or the untinted portion orboth of said portions on the support side of the film with water orwater. containing small amounts of solvents which do not dissolve thedye.

For a clearer understanding of the invention reference is made to theaccompanying drawing in which Figs. 1 and 2 are views of two differentfilms embodying several forms of my'iuvention while Fig. 3 is a crosssection of the film of- Fig. 1.

, 'The film of the present invention is shown in the form of a long bandsuch as is used in the synchronized reproduction of sound and motionpictures and includes a support 1 formed preferably of a plasticcomposition such as cellulosic material. This support is provided withperforationsI'Q along each border and carries on one of its surfaces asensitized emulsion 3. The portion of the riable within wide limits.This bathing of 1929. Serial No. 856,745.

emulsion between the two series of perforations in Fig. 1 constitutes aseries of exposure fields 4 on which motion picture images will beformed and a sound track strip 5 on which a sound record may be formed.During the process of manufacturing the film a layer 6 of coloringmaterial coextensive with the exposure field 4 or coextensive with allof the film except the sound track strip 5, is applied to the rearsurface of the support. This layer comprises a dye in a solvent whichpenetrates the material of the film support to an extent greater thanthe ordinary photographic process or bath so that for all photographicor motion picture purposes the dye layer is permanent. Since the solventfor the dye attacks or dissolves the surface of the film support towhich it is applied causing it to shrink and since the sound trackremains unaffected because it has not been treated, there is sometimeswarping of the film due to this condition. I have discovered that thisdifliculty of unequal shrinkage may be substantially obviated ifimmediately after the tint has been applied and the film dried, thesupport side of the film is bathed in water or water containing smallamounts of one or more solvents which do not dissolve the dye. I preferto treat substantially the entire support side of the film in thismanner. However, it is helpful to treat either the tinted portion or thesound track portion of the support side of the film with water or waterincluding one or more solvents. The solvents which may be combined withwater for this purpose include either ethyl alcohol, methyl alcohol oracetone, the proportions of water with these solvents being vathe filmin water or water including solvents may be effected at room temperaturebut appears to be somewhat more effective at slightly highertemperatures, for example to degrees F. v

\Vhile the sound track 5 in the modification of Fig. 1 is at the edge ofthe area be tween the two series of perforations, it will be understoodthat it may be on one of the margins of the film just outside of one of100 the series of perforations as in Fig. 2. Although the invention hasbeen shown applied to a film for commercial purposes 1n which fourperforations in each series is provided for each picture area, it willbe understood that this invention. may also be applied to films foramateur or home use in which but one perforation of each series isprovided for each exposure area.

The resent disclosure is merely typical of my invention and Icontemplate as included within the scope thereof all modifications andequivalents which fall within the terms of the appended claim.

What I claim is:

film strip for the simultaneous reproduction of motion pictures in asingle color and of sound comprising a support of cellulosic compositionhaving a photographic layer on one surface only and having a series ofmotion picture exposure areas tinted with a single color, and anuncolored sound track, the support surface only opposite said soundtrack having been treated with water and a solvent above normal roomtemperatures.

Signed at Rochester, New York, this 16th day of April, 1929.

' HENRY R. COUCH.

